Heart of a fox, Soul of a ninja
by flameadept16
Summary: During his youth, many attempts were made on taking Naruto's life. What if one attempt succeeded? Second attempt at an active story


This will be my very first story here on fan-fiction. Hopefully it won't be my last and I can promise you that I will not abandon this story!! I'll start it and I will finish. Also, if at any point in the story you read something that was in a different story, I did not do that intentionally and I don't own it. I will try not to do that but I haven't exactly read all the Naruto stories posted on this site. (There are over 100,000). Anyway here it is, flameadept's first story ever!! " drapes open to reveal an internet page"

'Orochimaru is gay'- regular speech

" So is Kabuto" – thoughts

' **They are butt buddies' – **demon speech and jutsu

Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto cause if I did Orochimaru would have died with Sarutobi

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' There he is!! He's getting away!!' Yelled a civilian holding a large butcher knife. He was pointing at a figure running down the dark empty street. The mob of people behind the civilian all nodded and lifted their weapons, ranging from torches to kunai, a few wakizashi were visible in the crowd. Under normal circumstances they would have been discovered and stopped by now, but today they had planned. It was perfect.

They had set someone up at the village gates to take note on who left the village and what post were not being filled at night. They were able to sum up that most of the village elite were away on missions, and the night guard would have a few large gaps in it. As long as they didn't make enough noise to alert the ninja that were on watch, their plan would probably succeed tonight.

" Run!! Hide!! Live" were the words that were going through the young 6 year old's mind as he struggled to get away from the mob that threatened his life, yet again. He ran as fast as he could through the dark streets of konohagakure. He was scared, tired and confused. Scared because he knew what would happen should the mob catch him. Tired because he had been running for the past hour, and confused because the words in his mind that propelled him forward, were not from his thoughts. It was like someone was talking to him in his mind, but he didn't have time to wonder cause the voice had a point.

He wasn't even sure where he was. He was just making random left and right turns praying that he would lose his pursuers. He passed a house that was lit inside and his figure was seen ever so briefly in the light. His blond hair was matted from sweat, small and scrawny from lack of food, white shirt, brown shorts, the familiar whisker birthmarks(need I say more). Naruto continued to run through the night. Left, right, right, another left, another right, stop!! Naruto gasped and his fear spiked to it's highest. 'Help'.

The Sandaime hokage of konoha was facing one of the toughest opponents ever. He had stood through wars, life-threatening battles, marriage ( now that's tough), even a couple potential suicide missions in his day, but all that paled in comparison to the battle that kept him from his home. He sighed, "Why is there always so much!" He thought as he grabbed another paper from the mountain in front of him.

He felt he was forgetting something, but since he couldn't remember he deemed it un-important. The old man, roughly in his 60's, let a sigh and removed his hokage hat, revealing his gray hair. He began reading the papers to himself as he shuffled through them. " Mission report, request for execution, ANBU report, request for assassination, Team 6's report, another ANBU report, another request for assassination" (wonder who those are for) Sarutobi picked up a paper and let loose a heavy " I'm too old for this" kind of sigh before reading it.

The honorable members of the council

Of konohagakure, humbly request the hokage's approval

For the death of the Kyuubi no Kitsune a.k.a Naruto Uzumaki,

To be carried out by an ANBU squad of no less then 10 ANBU

Which has been deemed appropriate by the council and has been

Agreed on by the 10 participating ANBU members.

Below this statement were the signatures of most of the council members as well as 10 ANBU members.

Sarutobi froze as he realized what he had forgotten. He moved the stack of papers aside and reached for his crystal ball. He activated it and visibly paled at the image he was staring at. "Damn ANBU won't get there in time even if they wanted to." He cursed as he sprang up. ' **Kage Bunshin no jutsu'** ( Shadow clone technique) He said as he put his hands in a seal. A copy of himself appeared in his chair and nodded at him as the real him took to the roof-tops. " No one need know I'm gone" he thought to himself before he sweat-dropped. " Why did I never think of that before now!!!"

Naruto stood against the wall bloody and beaten. This time had been the worst beating yet! They had beat, kicked, strangled, and cut him. However, before their very eyes all his wounds began to heal. ' You won't live through this one DEMON!!' Said the villager nearest Naruto as he lunged forward with his knife, aiming at Naruto's heart.

"Damn it!!" Was what the sandaime hokage thought to himself as he arrived on the scene. A single villager stood apart form the group. This villager held a short knife, that was just long enough to stick out the back of the boy he had just stabbed straight through the heart.

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Naruto awoke in a very weird room. He was lying on his back and realized he didn't have the strength to move. He was a little scared that the villagers had put him here to do something to him, but that didn't stop him from noticing part of his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was that the room was half white and half dark. He looked as far to the left and right as his eyes would allow and noticed the room was indeed split between light and dark, but for some reason the light was slowly was lying in the middle of this strange room.

'**You must get up!' **Came a voice from behind him. He couldn't move to see who it was. 'Wha-?' Naruto weakly let out.** 'If you want to live you must get up!'** Came the voice again, louder then before. It sounded powerful and intimidating.

'Who are you?' asked Naruto as he tried to move, but didn't make much progress. '**That will not matter if you don't get up!' **The voice yelled through the room. 'I can't'. replied Naruto as he tried again to move and failed. '**If you don't move you will die!'** the voice yelled again. 'If I die, then maybe I won't feel pain anymore, and if I'm dead then the people will be happy, right? Finished Naruto as he closed his eyes and awaited his fate.

'**So, you would just throw away what the Sandaime hokage has struggled so hard for?! You would make everything he has done for you in vain?! He has struggled more then you know to keep you alive so you could pursue your dream, and you want to throw that away cause you can't take a hit? If you won't push though a couple of hardships, then you aren't fit to become hokage!!!!!'** Naruto's eyes shot open at this, this person had struck a very sensitive nerve. '**Hell, I wouldn't even say your fit to be a ninja!!' **Naruto's fist clenched tightly and his knuckles were turning white. '**Te damned villagers don't make you who you are. The choices you make and how you deal with life make you who you are. I can tell by your choice to just lay there and die that your nothing but a coward!! If a couple of normal civilians have you embracing death then by all means DIE!!! Do everyone the favor of ridding this world of your insignificance!! You and your foolish dreams have no place in this world!!!**' The kyuubi finished, knowing that his words would have some effect on the boy. Some effect, was a real under-statement.

Naruto was standing. His legs were shaking, and he was swaying side to side, so you could tell it was taking a huge effort for him to stand. He had one hand over his heart, clutching it tightly, for it hurt unbearably, and he wondered why. He looked toward the voice and found a cage, closed tightly and held there by three pieces of paper that formed a triangle. The left piece had a kanji for heart. The right piece had a kanji for power. The base piece had no kanji, instead the symbol for infinity was written on it, along with many other seals and runes. He looked on the ground and his eyes widened a bit. He was standing in the center of a giant yin-yang symbol. The weird part was that the yang(white side) side was pulsating and growing larger with every moment. The yin side was just steadily yet slowly growing smaller, within minutes it would be nothing.

Same time: Konoha hospital

'Hokage-sama, his condition is not improving. I'm afraid that within a few hours, he'll die.' Reported a medic-nin as they stood outside the room where everything was being done to try to save Naruto. 'Is there nothing you can do?' asked the Hokage. The medic looked down. 'I'm afraid the only one who could have a chance of saving him is not with us.' Said the medic, and Sarutobi was reminded of one of his former students. The medic raised her head and continued. 'I'm afraid the only thing we can do is prepare for the worst, and pray the Yondaime's seal works like we hope it does'. The third nodded and the medic returned to Naruto's room. The Hokage knew that the medics attempting to treat Naruto were ones he could trust, as they never showed one sign of prejudice toward him. He sighed as he looked out the window to the clear night sky. ' Forgive me, I couldn't save him.' He said before leaving to prepare for the worst.

Back in Naruto's mind

' I AM NOT WEAK!!!' yelled Naruto toward the figure behind the cage he discovered was the source of all the taunts. The Kyuubi stared from the shadows and spoke. '**You can barely stand boy. Why don't you lay back down and…..** SHUT UP!!' Naruto interrupted. He yelled with such fury that the room shook a little and the yin symbol pulsed strongly, halting the progress of the yang. The kitsune held it's ground with no effort. 'I don't know who you are or where am I or even what's going on but I won't let you insult my dream'. Said Naruto as blood dripped down the side of his mouth and the yin symbol began to shrink again. 'Why do you want to convince me to live this messed up life and what's happening to me?!' Nruto asked before he collapsed on one knee, breathing hard. Kyuubi was a little impressed that a boy so young could resist death through such a heavy wound for long, with a little help of course. But Kyuubi also knew that it couldn't send enough demonic chakra through the seal to save him, not yet anyway. '**I don't have the benefit of time to explain to you why you should live. The only thing I can tell you is that your dying and if you want to find out my reasons for wanting you alive to live your dream then you'll do what I say.'** Naruto looked down at the floor for a few moments to think before slowly lifting his head and nodding to the darkness. **'Can you read?** Asked the kyuubi to which Naruto nodded. '**Good then in order to live you must grab the paper which has heart written on it and tear it in half. Once you do that I'll be able to heal you." Among other things." **thought the tricky kitsune. Naruto nodded and slowly got to his feet.

In the real world

The Hokage stood there at the foot of Naruto's bed, watching and waiting for the inevitable. He had already alerted those who needed to be alerted and the preperations were being made in case the fox would be released. He, along with two familiar ANBU were to be the first line of defense, in hopes of striking the demon down as it was emerging. The third looked at the two ANBU on either side of him. 'Kakashi, Itachi, I thank you for joining me in what could turn out to be our last fight.' Said the old man in a tired, sad voice. 'Of course lord Hokage' said Itachi under his weasel mask. 'The preparations for the rapid evacuation are complete lord Hokage.' Said Kakashi, who only wore his signature face mask(you know, the real annoying one). The third just chuckled. 'Unfortunately, you and I both know that if it does emerge, no one will survive the attack. He said to which the other two only nodded. With that, they spent the next ten-twenty minutes in almost complete silence, until, 'BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP'

The Kyuubi's cage

'RIIIIIIIIP' was the sound that echoed throughout the sewer looking room as Naruto finally collapsed, with a piece of torn paper in his hands. The Kyuubi looked at the motionless form of his container on the ground and chuckled. '**So it begins'**

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Sarutobi watched as the boy he had tried so hard to keep alive was slowly drifting away. Itachi watched with emotionless eyes as the young boy slowly passed to the other side. His expression didn't show it, but he felt bad for the young boy. Kakashi was, well, leaning against the wall with a familiar orange book in his hands, but he was not giggling like he usually did when reading said book.

Itachi and the Sandaime both sweatdropped when they saw what the ANBU captain was reading and Kakashi, feeling the gaze of the only other conscious people in the room turned to them. He wore a blank expression as he spoke. ' If we die, which seems to be the most likely thing to happen at the moment, I'll at least know how it ends.' He proclaimed before returning to his book. Itachi shook his head at the antics of the legendary copy ninja and the third kept a blank expression. On the inside however, chibi Sarutobi was in tears. "why didn't I think to do that!" were his thoughts as they trailed to the copy of the same book in Kakashi's hands that lay hidden in his desk. Itachi heard a brief sound come from the third and looked to see him standing there with his still stoic expression. Had he been hearing things? "Was that a sniffle?" Itachi thought as he returned his gaze to the boy. Indeed it was.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEP!! This sound vibrated off the walls of the room. Sarutobi was the first to prepare as his eyes narrowed slightly and he got ready to set off some exploding tags that would serve to alert the other ANBU who were in place and ready to try to save as many as possible. Sarutobi knew that if they didn't stop the fox right here as it was emerging then there would be no stopping it. So he set every ninja in the village towards evacuating everyone. Itachi grasped the hilt of his sword and prepared to send chakra to his feet so he could deliver a quick death blow with his blade. Kakashi closed his book and replaced it back to his ever present pouch at his side before letting out a sigh. 'Now I can die happy.' He said as he took the stance to unleash his only original technique, the Raikiri (Lightning Blade) as he was also aiming for the quickest death blow possible.

5 minutes. That's how long they stood in their positions. How long they listened to constant ring that told them the one laying on the bed was now dead. They knew however that it took roughly 5 minutes for the human body to completely shut down so, that's how long they waited before they rose, ever so slowly and slightly relaxed. 'I guess it is over.' Proclaimed the sandaime in a sad voice. He didn't know how wrong he was.

The kyuubi had been waiting for this moment. It was no easy task for the beast to leak chakra through the barely developed chakra system of his vessel so the process of dying could be slowed to a degree. The kyuubi had listened intently on what was transpiring outside his cage in the living world. He could feel the tense forms of three seemly strong shinobi and could tell they were preparing to unleash non-hesitant attacks should it seem he would be released. It was tough waiting and continuing an output of chakra of that magnitude so high while going unnoticed, but the time had finally come.

She felt the stances of the three change and relax a bit, which told her they were convinced Naruto was dead. Oh how wrong they were about to be as she prepared to unleash the force that would save this child from the clutches of death she was glad she could avoid. She drew a single talon to where her heart would be and looked to the still form of the boy who still clutched the piece of the seal he had ripped in half. '** You had better be grateful brat'** she said as she dug her claw into her chest. '**Oni Hijutsu: Link of life (**forbidden demon technique)' said the kyuubi as she cut a vertical line through her chest and heart.

It happened in an instant. It was like time froze and the air tensed around them. Sarutobi felt it first and cursed letting his guard down, because he knew it was to late.

All the three of them had time to do was focus their chakra to their feet so the immense power that exploded from Naruto's body didn't flatten them against the wall. The chakra out put was huge and so full of malice and killer intent that they knew it was the kyuubi. It wasn't long before the force of the demonic chakra overwhelmed the three and they were thrown against the hospital wall, rather forcefully. The world started spinning as the impact made them slightly dizzy, and when they regained their vision, the sight they beheld made their eyes go wider then they should.

Naruto was floating, suspended in the air by what seemed to be the red demon chakra of the kyuubi that was coming out of him in waves. The three now helpless shinobi watched in terror since they believed this was the kyuubi being unleashed. Sarutobi fought with all his vigor to try to form the seal to set off the evacuation signal. However, what he saw, or rather heard next made him cease his efforts.

The chakra seemed to form a sphere around the motionless boy. When the sphere became complete it began to shift and change into something else, before bocoming what seemed to resemble a fox head. It didn't stop there, because soon after becoming a head it sprouted 9 tentacles from behind. The tentacles whipped around, leaving burn marks wherever they came into contact with something. That is when the head turned to them and smirked.

'**Heed my words shinobi of konohagakure, this boy has now fused with my essence, resulting in a change that would seem most, compromising, to his current situation. Be aware that there are worst things in this world then me that will seek to destroy no only this village, but also the entire world as you know it. This boy is now the key to protecting your land. It is your job to watch over and train the brat so he can fulfill his purpose well. But, my trust in you humans has long been diminished. So as an insurance policy,'** As soon as these words were said the tentacles launched towards the three ninja and seemed to pass through their mask ( In Itachi's and Kakashi's case) before striking them in the heads. They all felt a sudden burning sensation but didn't show any outward reaction other then a slight flinch before the pain subsided and was replaced by a seal that seemed to be burned into their foreheads.**'As long as you heed my words, you need not worry about the seals I have just placed on you. But, if something should befall this boy that could have been prevented by anyone of you, I will activate these seals, and you will destroy the things you seek to protect the most.'**

With that last sentence said, the red chakra began to recede and relief swept the three shocked ninja as they were able to stand freely on their own. Before the chakra completely disappeared however, they heard the fox's last words**. 'Protect the boy, you will need him in the future.'** And with that, Naruto slowly fell back on the bed, and the equipment that had stopped working during the 'emergence' of the fox began working again, and were reading Naruto's vitals as just fine.

Itachi was the first to walk to Naruto's bedside, and raised an eyebrow at what he saw. 'Hokage-sama' he said, 'you may want to look at this'. The third walked over to Naruto as well, followed by Kakashi and together they stared at the young boy on the bed. The third sighed and rubbed his forehead. 'This has been to long of a night and the council will need to be notified as to what happened'. Said the old man. 'Itachi, go inform the ninja to stand down and return to their duties. Do not tell them anything more. And Kakashi,' he said as he turned to face the copy-nin. He saw that the laid back copy ninja of Konoha had pulled out another book from, somewhere and was reading it before looking up to face his superior.

The hokage shook his head. 'Just stay here and alert me immediately of any change in his condition'. Kakashi just nodded and returned to his book. "Why did I take this job" were the Hokage's final thoughts as he vanished in a swirl of leaves. Itachi looked at Kakashi. "Why do I bother" he thought as he to vanished in a swirl of leaves. Kakashi just read his book while leaning against the wall. "Why did they give me those looks?" were his thoughts as he continued his book.

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I deleted and re-uploaded the three chapters and merged them into 1 chapter to make longer chapters. I will try to be active this time with the story updates since I will now have a place to type and upload. Wish me luck on the second attempt at This story.


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